Extension device



June 26, 1934.,

H. SARGENT EXTENS ION DEVICE Filed Oct. 3. 1932 HeZe/a Job/"gent;

ATTOENE'Y Patented June 26, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to extension devices, and has for an object the provision of a device whereby various articles or devices may be adjusted as to length and height. More specifically, the invention is adaptable for use with platforms, foot rests, and the like, adapted to be associated with a chair, whereby said platform or foot rest may be adjustably positioned relative to the seat of the chair. In another adaptation, the invention may be, with equal facility, applied to the pedal of a piano, the control pedal of an automobile, and the like, whereby the said pedal may be eX- tended upwardly or outwardly to render easy operation of the pedal.

The invention has been found extremely useful for children learning to play the piano, in that my invention afiords a ready means whereby a convenient foot rest for the child is provided which is readily adjusted toany height desired or the pedal of the piano correspondingly adjusted, with the result that the child may easily contact the pedal or allowed to have the feet rest upon the platform associated with the chair.

In addition to the object just stated relative to a chair, the device may be applied to any type of chair, whereby infant children may have their feet properly supported or resting upon an object, such as a platform. Medical authorities agree that for best health, the feet should rest firmly upon some supporting object and not be allowed to dangle. This invention affords a ready means whereby the feet are supported.

The invention has for further objects the pro-' vision of novel means adapted to hold the device when adjusted, in said adjusted position, without fear of the device becoming disconnected from its supporting object. With respect to the last object, when the device is utilized with a platform associated with a chair, it becomes essential that the child not be permitted to disconnect the platform by attempting to push or pull upon it, and the present invention is so constructed and arranged as to parts that once the platform has been adjusted, it will remain in adjustment until certain mechanism has been released.

With respect to the adaptation of the invention for use with pedals, the device is readily and quickly adjusted.

Numerous adaptations and uses of the invention will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains.

With the above stated objects and others in view, including simplicity of structure, usefulness in operation, inexpensiveness in cost of manufacture, and general superiority, the invention consists in the novel and useful provision, formation, construction, association, and relative arrangement of parts, members and features, all

as shown in certain embodiments in the accompanying drawing, described generally, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a chair incorporating the invention,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, and taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of certain elements of the invention,

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a foot pedal incorporating the invention,

Fig. 6 is a view looking in the direction of the line 66 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 77 of Fig. 5, and,

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section on line 88 of Fig. 2.

Referring now with particularity to the drawing, my invention in its simplest embodiment includes two cooperating members designated generally by the numerals 1 and 2. I have shown certain embodiments of the invention. One embodiment constitutes the use of the invention with a chair, such as shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive. The means 1 for the chair comprises an elongated bracket 3 provided with angularly bent extremities 4, 5, whereby the body portion intermediate said extremities is spaced from any object with which said bracket is associated. Thus, referring to Figure 1, it will be seen that the said extremities 4, 5, are secured by suitable means 6 constituting screws, with one, of the legs '7 of the chair. In the case of the use of the invention with a chair, I provide two of the brackets 3, as shown for the other leg at 8, both brackets being identical in construction. It will be seen that these brackets parallel the legs and that in Figure 1, the bracket is enclosed along sides 9 to enhance the appearance of the device. As both brackets are identical in construction, one thereof will be described. The bracket 3 is of double-rack construction, that is to say, oppositely disposed and aligned teeth 10 and 11 are provided. In the second consideration of the invention, it may be said that the bracket body is punched to provide a plurality of contiguous and aligned cut-away portions 12. Hence, it requires the two rack tooth members 10 and 11 to form a portion 12. Using the rack terminology, the rack 11 includes an angular edge wall 13 and a front face 14 substantially at right angles to the pitch line of the rack. In each instance, it will be seen that there is an extended cut-away portion or notch 15 in alignment with the front face and that the angular edge wall 13 terminates at said notch. The front face 14 acts as a ledge or a shoulder, as will hereinafter appear. The rack member just described may be considered as being of the tooth type with notches at the roots thereof. The second series of rack teeth are directly opposite to and separated from the rack teeth of the first rack to provide a longitudinal way indicated generally at 16, and may be identical in construction with the first rack. However, I have shown a slight modification in the present 'mstance, wherein the teeth are constructed to have concaved sides 17 and front faces 18 substantially at right angles to the pitch line thereof. The front faces 18 are in alignment with the oppositely positioned front faces of the other rack portion. Any number of teeth may be provided. The other member 2 of the invention constitutes a part adapted to cooperate between aligned front faces of certain of the teeth of the racks.

In the embodiment described, to-wit, for use with a chair, a platform 19 is adapted to have secured at ends thereof members 20, constituting elements of the member 2. Each member 20 has two portions 21 and 22 at right angles, the portion 21 being adapted to have the platform 19 secured thereto as by the screws 23. The portion 21 adjacent one end thereof is formed with an extension or a lug 24 which is provided with oppositely aligned transverse notches 25 and 26. This construction forms what may be termed a T- type lug.-

Assuming that the platform 19 is provided with the members 20, the platform is readily adjusted as to height relative to the legs 7 and 8 through the medium of the members 1 and 2.

Referring to Figure 2, the platform 19 extends between the members 2 in such a manner that the platform may be revolved or turned relative to said members, when the platform is moved in one direction, in the present instance, upwardly. Thus, to cause the lugs 24 to engage certain of the teeth of the racks, the platform is rotated upwardly so that said lugs may be received within the longitudinal space 16 lying between the rack teeth. Having selected certain aligned rack teeth for both legs, the platform may be moved downwardly, whereupon the notch 25 of the lug will engage the front face 14 of one rack member and interlock in the notch 15, the other notch 26 straddling sides of a tooth of the opposite rack. Hence, upward movement or displacement of the lug relative to the rack teeth is prevented, save and except when the platform is rotated upwardly to position the lug within the space 16. However, it is not always desirable to allow the platform to be moved as just stated, as a small child will often with its feet, attempt to rotate the platform. To prevent this from occurring, I have provided any suitable catch means, such as illustrated in Figure 8 and designated as 27. This catch includes a bolt 28 having an inclined nose portion 29 adapted to be projected outwardly or received inwardly of the case 30, with a finger piece 31 engaging the bolt and extending outwardly of the case whereby the bolt may be pushed inwardly or outwardly of the case, together with the usual coil spring 32 indicated in dotted lines, for urging the bolt outwardly from the case. This said catch is secured beneath the platform and to the member 2 in such a position that the bolt may be received within any one of a series of openings 33 immediately below the front face of one of the rack members. Thus, having selected the proper platform height, the platform may have the lug members thereof received between the members 1 for both legs at the selected elevation, the platform then revolved so as to be at right angles to the racks, whereupon the catch will snap Within one of the openings 33. Thus, the platform cannot be revolved until the finger piece 31 is contacted to retract the bolt 28. Obviously, the inclined nose allows for ready retraction of the bolt within the casing when the platform is being revolved downwardly and prevents movement of the platform upwardly after bolt reception within an opening 33.

Referring to the form of the invention shown in Figure 5, the construction of the cut away portions or rack portions is the same as before, save and except that it is placed within an arm of a lever 34 constituting the member 1. The member 2 forming an extension 35 for the pedal is provided with a plurality of spaced apart transverse openings 36, and one end of said member is bent substantially at right angles at 37 and then again bent at 38 to parallel the general body 39 of said member. The intermediate portion 37 is provided with oppositely positioned transverse notches 40 and i1 which correspond to the notches 25 and 26 of that form of the device previously described. It will be seen that this construction functions identically with the lug construction 24 for the platform and wherein when the notches 40 and 41 engage the front faces of the racks, the body 39 will parallel one surface of the lever 34 and the portion 38 adjacent opposite surfaces thereof. The outermost extremity of the lever 34 is formed with a transverse bore 42 and a bolt 13 is adapted to be passed through the transverse bore 42 and the transverse bore 36 of the member 35, the said bolt carrying a wing nut 44. Thus,

having adjusted the extension of the lever, shifting movement between the lever extension and the said lever is prevented, although it is a simple expedient to adjust the lever extension relative to the primary lever by simply removing the wing nut from the bolt, removing the bolt, turning the extension relative to certain teeth of the racks in the same manner that the platform is moved, then again moving the extension, reinserting the bolt, and securing the locking nut thereon.

It is obvious that various other adaptations for the invention may be resorted to and that the extension for the pedal might as readily be applied to a piano pedal. In fact, the invention is directly applicable to any device where an extension is desired or where different elevations are desired.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications and variations may be made in practicing the invention in departure from the particular showing of the drawing and description as given without departing from the true spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character disclosed, an elongated member provided with aligned rack portions formed by punchings in said elongated member, one of said rack portions being in the form of teeth provided with notches at the roots thereof and having inclined bounding edges, and the other of said rack portions constituting teeth having concave bounding edges provided with root portions in the plane of the root portions of the first named teeth to provide a way therebetween.

2. In a device of the character disclosed, elongated members provided with aligned pairs of rack portions formed by punchings in said elongated member, one of said rack portions being in the form of teeth provided with notches at the roots thereof and having inclined bounding edges, and the other of said rack portions constituting teeth having concave bounding edges provided with root portions in the plane of the root portions of the teeth of the first named rack portion to provide a way therebetween, and means adapted to cooperate with pairs of aligned rack portions constituting lugs provided with oppositely disposed notches, said notches adapted for edge interlocking engagement between the bounding edges of the aligned teeth of both rack portions when in one position and revoluble relative to the concave bounding edges to position the lugs in the ways when in a second position.

3. In a device of the character disclosed, an elongated member provided with aligned rack portions formed by punchings in said elongated member, one of said rack portions being in the form of teeth provided with notches at the roots thereof and having inclined bounding edges, and the other of said rack portions constituting teeth having concave bounding edges provided with root portions in the plane of the root portions of the first named teeth to provide a way therebetween; and said elongated member having substantially right angularly bent extremities for securing said elongated member in spaced relationship to its supporting object.

4. The combination with a chair having supporting legs, of a pair of elongated members both provided with aligned rack portions formed by punchings in said elongated members, one of said rack portions being in the form of teeth provided with notches at the roots thereof and having inclined bounding edges, and the other of said rack portions constituting teeth having concave bounding edges provided with root portions in the plane of the root portions of the first named teeth to provide a way therebetween; both said elongated members being provided With angularly bent extremities secured to the legs of the chair to space the elongated members from said legs, a platform, and lugs secured to the platform and provided with oppositely aligned notch portions; and said lugs being adapted to interlock between the aligned rack portions at the roots thereof, with portions of said lugs interposed between the surface of the legs and the elongated members of the rack portions.

5. The combination with a chair having supporting legs, of a pair of elongated members both provided with aligned rack portions formed by punchings in said elongated members, one of said rack portions being in the form of teeth provided with notches at the roots thereof and having inclined bounding edges, and the other of said rack portions constituting teeth having concave bounding edges provided with root portions in the plane of the root portions of the teeth of the first named rack portion to provide a way therebetween; both said elongated members being provided with angularly bent extremities secured to the legs of the chair to space the elongated members from said legs, a platform, and lugs secured to the platform and provided with oppositely aligned notch portions; and said lugs being adapted to interlock between the aligned rack portions adjacent the roots of the teeth thereof, with portions of said lugs interposed between the surface of the legs and the elongated members of the rack portions; the said aligned notch portions of the lugs adapted to have received therein portions of the elongated members of said rack portions; and said lugs being movable to adjust the notch portions in the ways of said rack portions to permit relative adjustment of the platform to the rack portions.

HELEN SARGEN'I. 

